title: Bacillus subtilis "rec assay" test with isogenic strains.
abstract: The Bacillus subtilis "rec assay" test, widely used for the detection of DNA-damaging agents, was studied in detail, using an isogenic set of strains carrying different mutations in repair or recombination functions or both. recE4 and rec-45 mutations turned out to confer on the cells the highest sensitivity to known mutagens. The recE4 strain and its isogenic rec+ strain have been tested and validated by several rec assay procedures for preferential killing by known DNA-damaging agents. The use of purified spores of the tester strains offers advantages for standardization of the assay.
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D001681:Biological Assay; D004260:DNA Repair; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D009154:Mutation; D011995:Recombination, Genetic
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial